The Moon Shines as Brightly as the Sun
by excessive dramatics
Summary: the gang from the original GS game has gotten back together, and decides to go on one last journey...
1. eggs and bacon with a side of ham

Author: Excessive Dramatics Disclaimer: I don't own any of the gs characters, but I haven't beaten the second GS game, and since this story takes place after it (and it only involves the original cast of GS) I'm making up what happened at the end of the second game. Pairings: *none* ____________________________________________________________________________ ______  
  
It was a Beautiful morning in Vale. The weather was perfect, it was warm and sunny, and the people of Vale were out and about. Isaac woke up to the soft rays of light that beamed onto his face, his eyes fluttered open. He was in Garet's house. He'd been living there since his mother passed away a year ago. He and Garet had remained close friends since their whole adventure had begun and ended, it seemed as though nothing could come between their bond. Isaac sat up in the spare bed he had been sleeping in for the last 2 years, and turned his head towards the staircase from which footsteps were eminating.  
  
"Morning, sleepy-head. Afternoon, actually."  
  
Isaac groaned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, "Is it really that late?"  
  
"Yeah, you slept right through breakfast, and brunch, we're just sitting down to lunch now." Garet licked his lips, food was his favourite subject. "I came up to see if you were awake and wanted anything."  
  
Isaac stared for a bit, then said, "sure, just a little lunch, I suppose." His stomach growled in protest at the word "little". "All right, make it a bit more than a little."  
  
"heh, sure thing Isaac."  
  
As Garet descended down the stairs, Isaac got up out of the bed and dressed for the new day. Just the same old tunic and pants he liked. There was no need for heavy gear or clothing because there was no one to fight, and no one to fight for. So the people of Vale have once again become a town which practices pacifism. The tremors that had been sop violent not too many years ago, had completely died off two years ago. Almost the same day as his mother's death. Thinking about his mother made him think about his father, and thinking about his father reminded him of how he had no parents. He put his smile firmly in place at the sound of more footsteps up the staircase.  
  
"Here you go, Isaac, the Breakfast and Lunch special, on the house."  
  
"Thank you ma'am, I wouldn't have it any other way."  
  
"What, the breakfast or the free tab?"  
  
Isaac thoughtfully chewed a mouthful of eggs, "both." he said  
  
"well, you don't have to worry about it, you've always been like a son, it's no different now that you're living here, and I enjoy taking care of you and Garet. I still can't believe you had to go through all that." Her voice trailed off for a minute, "I'm extremely glad you did, however, saving the world and such." she smiled at him.  
  
"Oh, anyone with a sword and knowledge of a sword could defeat people like Saturos, Menardi, Karst and Agatio. I could have beaten them with my sword arm tied behind my back."  
  
"Now, now, I think we've all had enough of your bravery act. Everyone knows you were knocked out at first encounter."  
  
"First encounter, yes, but third encounter proved to go in my favour."  
  
"And the fourth, fifth.. we all know, Garet."  
  
"Ah, kicking their butts was easy, eh Isaac?"  
  
"Oh come on, don't get me involved, I'm still eating!"  
  
"Fine, be that way" Isaac laughed at the snob-nosed face Garet made as he mocked being mad at him.  
  
"Keep doing that and your face'll get stuck" everyone turned to see Garet's little brother coming down the stairs into the room.  
  
"Heh, I think it would be an improvement, don't you?" Isaac said, Garet just laughed,  
  
"FOOLS! Nothing can improve on the original!"  
  
"Unless you add on to the original."  
  
"huh?"  
  
"what?"  
  
"what did you say?"  
  
"what are you talking about?"  
  
"You just said something..."  
  
"No I didn't."  
  
"You're lying!"  
  
"And what if I am?"  
  
"ARGH!"  
  
"You know, Garet, you shouldn't let people mess with your head so easily," Isaac mused.  
  
*** Ivan yawned and stretched before looking out of the bedroom window. The sun greeted his tired eyes and he smiled. Lately all of the days had been sunny, warm, and beautiful. The blinds of his windows opened and Ivan squinted his eyes at the new addition of light.  
  
"Oh, Master Hammet, good morning," Ivan said,  
  
"Ivan, how many times do I have to tell you not to say 'master' Hammet, Hammet is just fine, thank you."  
  
"Well then, Hammet, what would the people of Tolbi think of an unworthy man such as me calling you by your name, and that alone?"  
  
"you argue no point whatso-ever, Ivan, that's utter nonsense, I'd hope the people of Tolbi would know better than that, besides, there is no law stating I must be addressed in such a formal matter, I am but a merchant, and a founder"  
  
"True enough, then." said Ivan stretching, "If you'll please leave me for a while so I may get showered and dressed?"  
  
"Of course, Ivan," with that, Hammet left.  
  
Ivan climbed from his bed, wearing his blue pyjamas, he trod over to the dresser and got out his tunic, pants and other clothing before heading to the bathroom to bathe. Ten minutes later Ivan came out of the room drying himself off when Hammet came through the door,  
  
"Ivan there's a letter here for you-"  
  
"AUGH!"  
  
"HOHO! GOMEN GOMEN!" he slammed the door shut on his way out, from the other side of the door he said, "Gomen Nasai, Ivan, I did not mean to intrude on you, this letter just arrived for you from Mia in Imil."  
  
"Mia? I haven't heard from her in ages, I wonder what she wrote," Ivan opened the door, now fully clothed, "May I see it?"  
  
"I don't see why not, it's adressed to you, after all"  
  
Hammet handed the letter over to Ivan who opened the envelope carefully, it really had been a while since he had spoken with any of the others. The letter read as follows:  
  
'Dear Ivan,  
  
How have you been? It's really been too long since we've all been together, so I have decided that we should go to Vale together to visit Garet and Isaac. It is my hopes that we can all spend a warm afternoon together in Vale having a picnic (as long as Garet doesn't pig out on everything and leaves some for us, anyways) or otherwise just for a get-together and good conversation. I don't await a letter and should get to Vault a few hours after this letter does, it was sent on ahead by a spreader of goodwill on his way to Suhalla. I shall see you soon,  
  
Your friend,  
Mia.'  
  
"A get-together, huh?" said Hammet, reading over Ivan's shoulder, "sounds like fun."  
  
"ah, yes, it will be nice to see everyone again. However, Hammet, you weren't mentioned in the letter, meaning I don't think she intended on you coming, as well."  
  
"True enough, well, you'd better get going, I'll lend you a-"  
  
"going? huh? but she said she was coming here..." said Ivan, bewildered.  
  
"You forget where you are, m'boy! we're in Tolbi! Mia's probably already arriving in Vault by now!"  
  
"Oh no! you're right! how will I meet up with her in time then?"  
  
"Like I was saying before, I'll lend you my caravan so your speed across the land will be tripled, I believe you'll meet up with her before you get to Vault, but at least it will save some time if you go out to meet her instead of letting her come here."  
  
"It's a long journey, but I'll be alright. I'll take my sonic sword* in case of any wild animals."  
  
"God luck, Ivan! write home!"  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ __ End chapter 1. *the sonic sword was the weapon I gave him, it increased his strength immensely (he did about 400 damage with a normal attack) so I decided "why not let him have it here, too?" anyways, I hope you liked the first chapter, please R+R! 


	2. yay! evilness!

Pairings in this chapter: none (yes, there will be eventually) Author's notes: Unfortunately, in the last chapter I mixed up Kalay and Tolbi, won't happen again, I promise (mainly cuz neither town is involved in the later plot... I think)

story:  
  
Isaac stood and stretched. The breakfast, as it usually was in Garet's house, had been an enormous plateful of food, he ate it all to be polite, and found his plate suddenly re-filled by Garet's mother. When Isaac stared at it with the "am I really supposed to eat that much?" look in his eyes. Garet's mother excused herself as she told him that she'd forgotten just how little most people ate. Garet had been up for at least two hours eating. And it wasn't really unusual for him to do so.  
  
"oh man, I'm stuffed..." Garet managed to squeak out from behind a mouthful of sausage,  
  
"It's amazing, you must be feeling sick if you only ate seven plates of breakfast!" his mother exclaimed.  
  
"No, no, I'm fine, see, me and Isaac are going fishing in... ACK! half an hour ago!" Garet grabbed Isaac's arm and ran out the door with two fishing lines in tow. Ten seconds later Garet came in and took half of the pile of toast sitting on the table, all in all around 6 pieces.  
  
"How do you eat so much?" said Isaac, mouth agape and finger pointing towards his belt, "is it magic or something? with how much you eat you should've been an elephant!"  
  
"Hey," said Garet scarfing down another piece of toast in a single bite, "how do you think the elephant would feel if he knew he was the butt of your jokes against me,"  
  
"what are you going on about?"  
  
"...what?" Isaac merely stared back at him with a bewildered look upon his face,  
  
"You know, you are the biggest idio--" he was cut off as a piece of crust was thrown at him, "what was that for!!!"  
  
"you talk too much," said Garet, pelting Isaac with more crust.  
  
"You eat too much!"  
  
"you don't eat enough!" and Garet stuffed an entire piece of toast into Isaac's mouth and ran off towards the stream they had planned to go to for fishing, "First one there gets the toast!"  
  
Isaac trod after him sighing in exasperation, "geez, you can be such a pain..." meanwhile off in the distance Garet was doing a happy dance and eating toast.  
  
Mia walked into the little town of Vault, she immediately went to the Mayor's house. She just had decided before meeting up with Ivan again she may as well speak with the mayor of Vault whom they helped a long time ago. Upon knocking and entering, she discovered only the mayor's wife standing there,  
  
"Hello miss Mia! so nice to see you again!"  
  
"Yes it is," said Mia, smiling politely, "I sent Ivan a letter telling him to meet me here in Vault, we'll be going to Vale together to visit Isaac and Garet for a get-together of sorts," Mia smiled again, unable to wait to see her former travelling companions again.  
  
"I'm terribly sorry to tell you this, but Ivan has been in Kalay for the longest time! but you're right, a letter did come for him, we sent it off down to him."  
  
Mia nearly fell over at the news, "WHAT D'Y--" Mia closed her mouth, took a deep breath and started again, "I'm sorry, now, what were you saying about Ivan not being here?"  
  
"er... um.. eheh, actually, he's been there for a few months, about a week after you last wrote him, miss Mia"  
  
"fine then, I'll set off for Vale, I should hope he's gotten my letter by now. If he comes by Vault instead of going straight to Vale, tell him I've gone ahead to meet him there, alright?"  
  
"no need, "miss" Mia" came a familiar voice from behind her, she turned and saw Ivan standing in the doorway, she nearly tackled him with a hug.  
  
"Oh, Ivan! I'm so happy to see you again! but how did you get here so quickly?"  
  
"You walked, I took Master Hammets Caravan," Ivan smiled at her, "fastest horses on Gondowan,"  
  
"I'm glad, we can leave straightaway for Vale, then." she turned Ivan around and pushed him out of the door, the mayor's wife stood stunned and waved her off. Suddenly remembering herself, she grabbed something from the drawer in the table and ran out the door, "Miss Mia, mister Ivan! I've something for you!" Mia turned, she had been pushing Ivan the whole way, he stumbled a bit and went over to tend to the horses figuring Mia could handle whatever it was the woman wanted.  
  
"Er, yes miss?"  
  
"my husband is deceased past this unfortunate week, and he left me this medallion. He told me to give it to any of you if you should ever come by Vault once again."  
  
"But miss, we don't fight anymore, we shouldn't--"  
  
"He said for you to take it, miss Mia, and I'm afraid I must oblige to his last request and enforce this medallion upon you."  
  
Mia found her hand reluctantly unfolding from under her cloak and she held it out, the medallion, portraying the goddess Luna, was gently placed in her hand.  
  
"Thank you miss Mia," said the mayor's wife, she bowed, turned, and went back up the steps and into her house.  
  
"alright, now that we've finished here, could we please get going now?" said Ivan, slightly impatient after waiting around for a good fifteen minutes while the two women had been bickering,  
  
"yes, let's go now, Ivan." she hopped up and took a seat beside Ivan on the caravan, "Oooh! I can't wait to see Isaac!"  
  
"What about Garet?"  
  
"what about Garet???"  
  
"Mia, he's your friend too."  
  
"and a pig,"  
  
"then next time we're on an adventure, I'll do the cooking, and in the morning, don't bother asking where Garet went, he won't of left us until we've relieved ourselves for the day."  
  
Mia laughed as Ivan's joke, "I said he acted like a pig, I didn't mean he'd taste like one,"  
  
Ivan winked at her, "well I suppose we'll find out, then."  
  
They both laughed at the horses trotted from Vault's entry, the Mayor's wife watched them laughing as they left, her eyes empty and dark, "Excellent work, my puppet, and all I had to do was pull a few strings!" the darkness surrounding her laughed and she was consumed by the shadows, the Mayor's house burned down later that day, and no one could remember when the fire had started, or when it was snuffed out, the citizens of Vault continued to walk the city, all of them looking on with dark, empty eyes at a world that didn't seem to exist.

author's notes:

yay! evil-ness! in case you didn't pick it up, the evil bad guy in this story is a puppeteer who posesses his victims and uses them for his own gain, symptoms of being posessed include ever-present drool, empty eyes, and cold to the touch skin. Yes, Vault has been completely taken over. G-day to you all   
  
Ivan: kicks E.D. what? 

Ivan: I dunno, just felt like kicking something 

why didn't you kick Mia? 

Ivan: she would've killed me... 

she can kill you, I can put you into a m/m relationship with dun dun dunnnn! Garet! muwahahaha 

Ivan: gasps and goes to a dark corner to cry and pray it doesn't happen  
  
no, it doesn't happen, this was a completely random thing, and if you're reading this... er... you're probably as insane as I am... 


	3. I dreamed a dream

Pairings: I've forgotten who I was going to pair up, thus , unless I remember, noen for the rest of the story. Authors notes: thanks to all who've read and commented (good and bad, lol) just for taking the time to comment, I give you all cookies XD

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""  
  
Mia rode silently along-side Ivan whom held the horses' reins, they were on their way to Vale, finally. Mia smiled and closed her eyes, she drifted off to into a light sleep and dreamed.  
  
The sky was pitch-black, but as far as she knew, it was supposed to be day. Torches burned in this city, wherever it was, and bodies lay, strewn about the ground. She looked to her left, and the warrior she had come to know so well over their travels, Garet, stood wounded and clutching his right arm. On her right, the strong, secretive Isaac stood, minor scratches on his face. She looked down at herself and noticed that each of them had their battle gear on. Now she knew that none of this could be real... it all had to be a dream, there was peace now, an undying peace which they had fought so hard to keep, and now the world thrived in it. But here, wherever "here" was, it was not ruled by peace. The slain bodies of the villagers stank, and she noticed the different shades of red on Garet's sword arm. Horrified she turned to Isaac again, noting he had the same shades of red. Looking down at herself once more, she held out her hands and felt compelled to weep into them, all three of them were blood-stained, it was not evil who had killed these innocents, but them.  
  
"Mia?" the voice seemed so far away, as Isaac spoke she could barely hear him, "do not look so horrified, they were not human, what we have done is justified by Sol."  
  
Mia could only look confused as she stared into his eyes, they reflected the torches and they sent shivers down her spine. This was not the same Isaac she knew, he was colder, eyes empty, she looked to Garet, the light in his eyes dwindling, almost like he was about to pass out.  
  
"come Mia, we have to take care of... him"  
  
Mia was utterly confused now, "h-him?" she cried weakly, only finding her voice for seemingly the one single word she uttered, Garet spoke now,  
  
"yes, Mia, you must not fall to him... he is toying with your mind, your memories,"  
  
'I don't know what you're talking about!' she screamed it with her mind, her eyes shut so tightly they hurt, 'what is going on?!' she couldn't speak, something held her back from it. Garet fell at her left, and Isaac ran on ahead of them, "Mia you fool! come on before he gets you!"  
  
Mias finding her voice finally, "Garet! Isaac! we have to bring him!" false memories of her current situation came to her, she picked up Garet, the light gone from his eyes, they reflected the fire as Isaac's had when she peered into them.  
  
"I am fine, Mia," he gave a weak smile and nearly fell over again,  
  
"You idiot, Mia! you're the cleric! heal him for god's sake!"  
  
Mia was a bit flustered, Isaac had never insulted her or any of the other team mates, she chose her words carefully and held Garet's wounded arm, her hands glowed light blue in colour, and she watched the ripped muscle and skin stitch itself together, her powers were much reduced and the process was slow. She was weak for some reason, her psynergy level low, she must have used it up in the killing of all of these demons... 'what am I thinking? these are villagers, not demons! there's no way any of them could be at fault for this!' She waged an all-out battle within her thoughts.  
  
Garet looked at Mia as she clutched her head in her hands and kneeled, "she's infected... Isaac! ISAAC! SHE'S BEING TAKEN OVER!" he looked like he was almost in tears,  
  
Isaac ran over to her, "Mia, snap out of it! MIA!" he slapped her as hard as he could, and she fell to the ground, she crawled wearily away from them both, 'infected? what was Garet talking about? why did Garet hit me? ... why are they looking at me like that... Garet's unsheathing his broadsword... and Isaac his longsword... oh, Luna, help me... what?' her eyes flew open, 'why did I... pray to Luna... she is opposite to Sol...' she looked up and Isaac and Garet weren't where they had been, they were advancing on her with their weapons, their eyes still empty and cold, "s- stay away from me!"  
  
Garet smiled, it was a twisted, sickening smile, "those who are infected... must die..." Isaac advancing on her as well, brandishing his sword laughed, "Then perhaps next we kill ourselves for serving Luna, hm?" they laughed together and loomed over Mia, both rose their weapons to strike. Her eyes clenched shut and she awaited the blow.  
  
... ... It never came, she opened one eye, then the other, the familiar rocking of the caravan as it was pulled by the two horses making her wonder how far she and Ivan had gotten in the time she was asleep,  
  
"You were out like a light, and have been for twenty minutes, I slowed down so you could sleep."  
  
Mia nodded at him, "thank you." she said, she was in a cold sweat, everything in the dream felt real, she brought her hand up and felt her cheek, it was sensitive, like she really had been hit. She realized that within her other hand, she was the clutching the medallion she had unwillingly received. She inspected the thing closely, it was the goddess Luna on one side, and on the other, the moon showed through an alter surrounded on both sides by flickering flames. It was such remarkable detail for such a small trinket.  
  
"Ivan... would you mind hurrying up, I suddenly have another reason to see Isaac..."  
  
"and the pig," Ivan laughed, but Mia didn't speak again. Seeing that she was serious, Ivan gave the horse reins a flick of the wrist and the two Kalay mares broke into a run, Vale was just on the horizon.  
  
""""

Isaac looked up into the sky, the end of his fishing pole shoved into the ground as he lazed about on the riverbed.  
  
"Garet, have you noticed the sky lately?"  
  
"Well of course I've noticed it, it isn't like I'm going to wake up and it suddenly isn't there anymore."  
  
"That's not what I mean Garet," said Isaac, a solid expression of worry on his face, "The days grow shorter with the passing time, night claims the day sooner and sooner, even now, it's mid-afternoon and the sky is beginning to darken."  
  
"Remember when we went to Imil? it was always stormy over there, perhaps the clouds are rolling across Gondowan and blocking out the light," Garet said skeptically,  
  
"Garet, we both know that it isn't possible for clouds to time when and where they block out the sun."  
  
"Don't make me shove more toast in your mouth,"  
  
"Ha, I'm right then, am I?"  
  
And once again out of no where, Isaac was left alone as the giggling Garet ran off after shoving another piece of toast into his face,  
  
"Thow many pietheth of toast do you haf?!?" Isaac yelled at him with the toast obvious creating a speech problem, after inhaling crumbs Isaac decided it was best not to yell at someone with a piece of toast in your mouth.  
  
""""

Back in Kalay Lady Lyana and Master Hammet were sitting in their throne room contemplating the new journey the eight adepts would now be facing.  
  
"That's four of them soon to be together then, are you sure we did the right thing in not telling him?" Master Hammet spoke to Lyana, "about the second prophecy? I think if not Ivan then the others need to know."  
  
"Sshh, Hammet, please don't worry, they defeated Saturos, Menardi, Karst, Agatio and a slew of monsters, they saved the continent! please, give them more credit."  
  
"Ah, my dear Lyana, they saved much more than the continent, they saved the world! and even now I fear for them. I fear the time when Kalay will fall by tyhe hands of a friend whom I've known since he was born."  
  
"Hammet, please, you cannot talk of him this way, I can't allow it. Everything will be fine, and he is strong, he will not succumb to it."  
  
"I am afraid, Lyana, that Ivan ios destined to fall to them, and he is also destined to bring peace back to the world. I can only hope that Jenna, Sheba, Felix and Piers will find each other."  
  
"Two seperate legends that clash together and create one large prophecy... " Lyana left a long pause, "everything has been going as it has been laid out, perhaps... we should evacuate the village?"  
  
"No, Lyana, we must be strong in our hour of despair, the fate of Kalay is not written, but we know we shall be attacked. Until then, I pray for Ivan, and that he really is strong enough for this task. This is the end of our discussion on this matter, until despair reaches us, we must celebrate," he gave a weak, unconvincing smile, "the people of Kalay would have it no other way."  
  
"As usual master Hammet, you are the voice of reason within this city. But still I can't--"  
  
"Lyana, how many times must I say I do not wish to speak of the matter no more?"  
  
"But Hammet!" she saw the look in his eyes and stopped, "Alright then."  
  
Hammet gave a genuine smile, "excellent, then... we shall have a festival, the harvest is soon, is it not?"  
  
"y-yes Hammet," Lyana was astounded by the man's mood. The continents most worthy adversary yet was appearing now, and he could smile and laugh the night away as if doom was not about to swallow them all whole. Lyana gazed at her husband as he got up from his chair and danced about the room, singing about all of the good in the world, Lyana noticed the expression in his eyes, 'If he is willing to put on this mask and be strong, I must stand beside him through and through' Lyana stood, put on her mask of happiness and danced with her husbands, leaving the guards who had overheard entirely to stand more confused than ever.  
  
""""""""""""""""""

OK! third chapter done, it's longer than chapters 1 and 2 (no, not combined) but I really just wanted this to be Mia's dream, unfortunately, I didn't feel it was long enough. So, here it is, hope you liked it, chapter 4 coming soon XD


	4. Introducing Arc!

Pairings: (yay! I remembered!) Isaac x Jenna, Garet x Mia (it's a hate hate relationship :P) Alright, kudos and extra cookies to biodermic who pointed out that it's on Angara and not Gondowan, sadly enough, I actually looked at my gs2 map to find it, I didn't look very hard as you can tell. And the pairings are just there, it isn't going to be a lot of romance within the story, it's just so you know the characters are together and the pairings have no role in the plot. The Garet x Mia pairing is in this chapter, I haven't decided how to write up the Isaac x Jenna one yet, they're probly already a couple in the story though... Also, there's kind of a switch from here on in, it's no longer humour, though bits of humour will be slotted in. With the introduction of evil and such (and such a twisted one he is) I don't think I could carry humour out of any scenes involving him. now, enough authors notes """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""  
  
There were smiles, hugs, handshakes and a great deal of "hello's" and "I missed you so much" the latter from Mia, of course. The four adepts had finally found each other once again, upon entering Vale, Ivan and Mia headed directly to Garet's house, knowing Isaac had been living there for a while from previous letters sent back and forth. On their way, however, they ran into Jenna who offered to escort them to the fishing location.  
  
"They're fishing?" Mia said in response to Jenna's statement,  
  
"Yeah, there isn't much else for them to do right now. No one needs a warrior around anymore."  
  
Mia gave a small, forced laugh, neither Ivan nor Jenna noticed.  
  
"So what have you two been up to?" asked Jenna, "Have you two been together a while?"  
  
Ivan went wide-eyed and suddenly blushed, Mia also blushed and looked away. "I meant as travelling companions! honestly!" she gave a sort of false laugh to show it was just a small misunderstanding.  
  
"Ahem, alright, now that's done and over with, I think I'll just, er, go sit by the stream for a bit." Ivan smiled and walked off, his cheeks still tinted rose.  
  
Mia stepped up to Ivan and Garet, "Ivan and I actually came here to ask if you guys wanted to go on a picnic, Jenna, you are also welcome to come. Felix as well if he's around." she smiled  
  
"Sure, I'd love to come!" Jenna walked to where Isaac was standing and hooked her arm around his, Isaac suddenly flushed and blushed at the same time, making it only more noticeable he turned his face away towards Garet who was laughing at him.  
  
"Oh? and when did this happen?" said Mia teasingly,  
  
"When we got back to Vale after our journey and everything settled down, we started seeing each other, right Isaac?" she rubbed up to him and he turned his head back and nodded, the blush looking very out of place on his pale face.  
  
Of course even Mia couldn't help but laugh at this.  
  
"Have you brought any food with you then?" asked Garet,  
  
"What? what about food?"  
  
"Well, you said it was... a picnic right?"  
  
"well, yes... but"  
  
"Then there has to be food!"  
  
"Picnics aren't all just eating you know, they involve games and fun!"  
  
"How do you have fun at a picnic without food?"  
  
Isaac interjected suddenly, "I still haven't found that stupid crouton you threw at me last week, you know..."  
  
"see? fun!"  
  
Isaac half ran half leapt at Garet, who, being down to his very last piece of toast had to make a life-threatening decision, eat, or throw... Garet found himself running from the worst foe he'd faced yet while scarfing down the semi-cold toast, through his full mouth he shouted, "Don't make me throw crust at you!"  
  
"How! it's already halfway to your arse!"  
  
Ivan snapping out of his stupor, thought this was hilarious and nearly fell into the stream. """""""  
  
"look at them all, smiling, happy... if only they knew..." a smile graced the puppet-master's face. "If only... they knew..." his hand reached up and brushed away a strand of hair that had fallen out of place, the fingers creeped back across his skin, lingering on the single imperfection on his body. A simple scar and a mechanic eye; it had been slashed over a hundred years before. He had lived this long for the simple fact he was not really alive, "Irony... how ironic I am. To control the dead and be dead myself. But I suppose," the puppet-master mused, "that I do control myself, my own actions," his lips pressed tightly together created the faint outline of a grin.  
  
"M-master..." a boy stood in the corner of the room, there were two boys and two girls in the room, each of them stood in a single corner of the room. Boys across from each other, girls the same. The other children looked to the boy who spoke, "Why must you speak to yourself? you scare me when you do that..." the boy must have been no older than eight. Yet he was mature, he held no material possessions, he never had any. Again though, if given one he could not use it for comfort, his thoughts were his comfort. The boy winced as his master spoke,  
  
"I speak to myself... because I must contemplate... I have control over so much, yet the ones I am after remain unscathed... I must send my children, pull their strings, Arion." he turned his pale, thin face towards the boy who had spoken, "I send you, it is only fair, the youngest of my children go first."  
  
"B-by myself, father?" the boy held back his tears and stood where he was, punishment happened too often to the others around him he knew what he could get away with saying and doing.  
  
"Of course, I have adopted you into my family, all four of you. I taught you all Earth's might, Water's properties, Fire's heat, and Wind's elegance. No one should be able to stand against one of you alone.  
  
"Y-yes master," the boy was quivering, he had been with this man who had adopted him so long ago, much more than eight years could let on, in fact, when time stops for years in between, what can you do but become stronger...  
  
Puppet-master stood from his throne in the dead centre of the room and walked to his "son".  
  
"I trust in you," he placed two fingers, one on each eyelid, and closed them gently. The boy faded from the corner. He could hear the children's fear, their hearts beating rapidly, these were no longer children, they were bringers of death. Each of them had had the opportunity to kill, the most experienced of them all had only just departed to find his targets... """""""  
  
Garet yawned and stretched, "oh man, am I ever stuffed!"  
  
"Y'know, Garet, that's probly cuz you stole everyone else's food too, and after you ate so much for lunch already." said Mia, pointing a finger accusingly.  
  
"What? I doubt you'd want it back, besides! Ivan and Isaac handed theirs over!"  
  
"I didn't intend for you to eat half of my meal as well, though Garet. I wasn't finished eating and now I'm still hungry..."  
  
"Hello." a small boy interrupted them, standing less than a metre away it was miraculous none of them had even seen him coming. The boy looked innocent, but his eyes held secrets beyond their comprehension. Jenna finally spoke up,  
  
"Er, hello little boy, I haven't seen you around here, are you travelling by yourself?" she queried.  
  
"Actually, I'm with my father," there was a certain glint in his eyes, the secrets within them wanting to spill over, "I was just wondering your names, you all seem so familiar..."  
  
"Allow me to introduce them! It would be my pleasure." Kraden approached them, "After all, they are the heroes who saved our land! This is Isaac, Ivan, Garet, Mia and Jenna. There are three others, however, they are not with us at the moment.  
  
'Sheba will not be seeing you again, there are only 7 left, fool' "Oh, it's a shame... but, I've heard so much about you, the great Scholar Kraden who guided the heroes and taught them absolutely everything they know!" he had a large grin on his face and he was dancing around as he spoke, "If I could.. I'd like to speak to you about your accomplishments with the group! you've inspired me to become a scholar myself! I'd wish to hold a private counsel with you, sir," the glittering of his eyes returned, it was almost impossible for Kraden to resist.  
  
"Well, when you put it that way, I suppose I can't refuse!"  
  
'FOOL!' "please, follow me!" the boy skipped to the water's edge, and once Kraden had a arrived a thin wire appeared in the boy's hand, only noticeable by a glint of sunlight reflecting off of it, 'Time for a swim, old-timer' The glint was gone and checking to make sure the adepts weren't looking he made as if to help Kraden closer, but instead tripped him. Noting the yell Kraden gave he knew he had to react fast, "Grab my hand!" and as Kraden reached out to grasp his hand, the wire did it's job and cut a deep, yet barely noticeable cut on Kraden's wrist, 'that's the end of him' the boy smirked silently to himself, but to the adepts rushing over to him it looked as though he was weeping.  
  
"Kraden!" Jenna shouted and ran along-side the stream, Kraden remained face- down in the water, however, the water around his left wrist tinged with red. Isaac and Garet waded into the water and pulled out Kraden's limp body. The wound, cleaned from the water, was too thin to notice, there was, however, a very large bump on his head from when he fell.  
  
'How do you like that, the poor scholar had an accident.' the boy displayed his false tears and ran away, Ivan chased after him but once he rounded a tree he discovered the boy had disappeared. """""""""  
  
"Excellent job, son. You have destroyed their research link. But why have you come back so soon, Arc?"  
  
"So soon? Is two heroes' deaths not acceptable, father?"  
  
"Sheba lives, son. I have taken over her soul and she is my new play-toy." Sheba's limp body appeared from thin air and fell into the puppet-master's lap, he cradled her face, "ah, but the youth did not even put up a fight. She journeyed so long and so hard, yet was defeated by a single blade's edge..." the dagger also appeared in his hand, "Yet even in this state her soul resists me..." he placed the dull edge of the knife along a line at her neck, "Such a simple child, naive and misunderstood... she deserves to aid me in the downfall of her friends... wouldn't you agree, Sheba? The empty eyes continued to stare at nothing, but the soul spoke to him, "As I thought, you continue to resist me, even through my complete domination over Lalivero, and you did nothing to stop it... why resist now? when it's already over for you?" he raised Sheba's chin so the blank eyes stared into his; he peered through them and they bore into the cowering child in the corner of a dark room, a single light above her that did not illuminate anything but herself and a small circle around her. '_**I will be free!**_' her soul spoke, '_**You will fall like all others we have faced! and I shall never succumb to your insanity!**_'  
  
'**_S-Sheba?_**'  
  
Her spirit's eyes widened, the voice was Kraden's, '_**They**_ _**get closer to them everytime... and I am powerless to help...**_'

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" OK! End of chapter 4!!! (finally, yes, I know...) anyways, just a thing about this, in order for the puppetmaster to control anyone, they must first be killed or sapped of all their strength. Then he steals their souls and puts them into the darkest recesses of his mind where he can communicate with them and toprment them all he wants. He crushes the spirits (literally) of those he no longer needs, and that is when they truly die.

E.D. wow... it's longer than I thought it was...


End file.
